The Big Land.......Labrador, home of big land, big bugs, bears, wolves, and gravel road. Although that gravel road is getting smaller and smaller every year, and soon will be a big paved road. Break out your Street Glides doo rag wearers.

In less than two weeks Peter Oxley and I will embark on our adventure of the TLH and the west coast of Newfoundland just like a lot of others have done in the past several years. To explore this far away, remote land that is in fact pretty easy to get to in North America.

We however will be armed to the teeth with HD video cameras, and in partnership with Hemmings House Pictures will be making a web series documentary on riding the TLH.

Departure from our homes in Saint John New Brunswick is sked for August 25th. We have the midnight ferry booked out of North Sydney for Port Aux Basques. Plan is to spend 3-4 days on the west coast of the island before heading for Labrador for the remaining 8-10 days.

Riders
Me.......Terry Burt, been riding bikes since I had a Z50 when I was 8, ridden everything since from Honda scooters, to sport bikes, dirt bikes and now adventure bikes. 44 years young, married to a very understanding, patient wife, with two lovely daughters that are slowly turning my hair gray. Oh ya, I'm a kick ass corporate bush pilot, meaning I fly really cool jets into small airstrips in the middle of nowhere for a large family owned business(s).

My Strom

Peter Oxley, 44 years old, married to a crazy cool wife with three spirited kids (I can't figure out why he's not gray) Pete's in medical sales, and can sell ice to the eskimos, I mean Inuit. A skill that may become handy once we are in Labrador. Pete basically learned to ride this summer, but is super stoked, and has already become a farkling master of the KLR.

Some how I managed to convince Olympia Motorsport to sponsor us, and they provided us with some kick arse X-Moto outfits, so you will be constantly hearing about how much we like them. Pete managed to get the Newfoundland Liquor Commission to sponsor us, remember the selling of ice to our northern native peoples, the man can throw out a sales pitch.

I plan on keeping a daily account of our journey on AdvRider, with some small daily vids hosted on Youtube. Once we are back the editing gurus at Hemmings House are gonna put together a multi episode web series.

I leave from Northern Vermont on September 2 riding my 1200GS. However, I will be doing the clockwise version. I'll be on the lookout for you guys. Looking forward to your documentary. Have a safe ride - Tom

Good luck and be safe. Rode it in'09 solo, and loved it! Meet some great people in goose bay and on the boat when the TLH wasn't finished, I saw them on and off the road all the way to the rock and back.....what great country up there. Careful on the TLH, had one rider go down behind me that I met on the boat and it changed his life. Hoping the series is streaming some where us 'mericans can watch!

We are in the works of finding a home for the series, but regardless will most likely be posting it on Youtube for everyone, including yous 'mericans to watch.

We plan on taking our time, no need to push it on this trip.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardwaregrrl

Good luck and be safe. Rode it in'09 solo, and loved it! Meet some great people in goose bay and on the boat when the TLH wasn't finished, I saw them on and off the road all the way to the rock and back.....what great country up there. Careful on the TLH, had one rider go down behind me that I met on the boat and it changed his life. Hoping the series is streaming some where us 'mericans can watch!

Lookin forward to the ride for sure! Want to ride it myself when I can get some time off work! Might have to wait for retirement which is not that far off. Enjoy!

__________________
The best executive is one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done and self restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it. Theodore Roosevelt

Damn I keep getting more work thrown at me on the last few days before departure. Flying until Friday night, only have Saturday to get everything packed and ready, plus do an oil/filter change and install a skidplate. FACK.

I hate being a procrastinator. I promise I'll change....just not right now.

Three days of preparation to go, today is officially bike prep day. Oil and filter change, go over every nut, bolt, and fastner, and get the skid plate mounted up, praying to god, allah, buddah or whatever religious symbol that tickles your fancy, that I don't find anything that requires major, or expense repair. The bike has been running good, other than the dreaded Vstrom clutch chudder, but I do not have the time or money for a new clutch basket.

Tomorrow, before heading to work, it's lay out all my gear day, figure out what needs to go, and where it's going on the bike. That'll be a morning of.....this goes here, no here, that's kinda heavy, put that at the bottom of the pannier, that doesn't need to go, that does, put that back, take that out. Bear spray? How many days can I get out of pair of underwear?

Friday is a complete write off with work, not much I can do sitting in a hotel and the airport in Toronto, and i won't be home until late evening. I suppose I can write some more and bore all of you with the glamourous life of a corporate pilot, and how we actually get paid to spend endless hours waiting at airports, and flying the jet is actually just an added perk.

Saturday, spend time with the family, and pace around endlessly, and hope everything is ready.

Sunday......the BIG day. Morning brunch with Pete, Greg Hemmings and their families, videography lessons from Greg, them it's hit the road at noon for the big slab ride to the ferry in North Sydney. I think my friends Scotty Googles and Deeker are riding with us for a little while. The big Harley escort.